Erdogan's victory faces election rigging charges: UK media

CAIRO – 25 June 2018: Few hours after closing the Turkish twin elections' vote on Sunday, various accusations of forging the presidential and parliamentary elections were hurled at the ruling regime in Turkey.

UK-based Sunday Express newspaper revealed that Turkish officers had resorted to open fire into the air to stop delivering four sacks stuffed with fake voting cards to a polling station in southeastern province of Urfa on Sunday.

Police tried to stop the car, but the driver put his foot on the gas, forcing officers to use force against him and his two companions and detain them. Turkish authorities announced they have launched an investigation after three French, three German and four Italian citizens have been arrested for interfering with the vote.

The British Express newspaper claimed the ten, who were detained in Turkey, were ballot box monitors but did not have the proper accreditation.

Moreover, videos posted on social platforms showed that dozens of Turkish citizens were voting in bulk, the matter which aroused several doubts about voting transparency and integrity.

“With the presidential system, Turkey is seriously raising the bar above the level of contemporary civilizations," Turkey’s longest-serving President Erdogan earlier said, after approving constitutional amendments in 2017 to turn Turkey into a presidential-system state.

Erdogan alleged the new powers will better enable him to tackle the nation's economic problems such as the plummet of the Lira and Kurdish rebels in neighboring Syria and Iraq.

The Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) charismatic Muharrem Ince gave a feisty performance at a rally among thousands of supporters. "If Erdogan wins, your phones will continue to be listened to, fear will continue to reign," Ince said ahead of Sunday's poll.

Since 2016, Turkey has been placed under emergency rule, which restricts some freedoms, allows the government to bypass Parliament and arrest thousands of activists and dozens of journalists after an attempted coup.

A man casts his ballot at a polling station during a referendum Aegean port city of Izmir, Turkey, April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

Twitter users mock Erdogan's victory

Incumbent President Erdogan has won with more than 50 percent of the presidential vote, according to initial local reports quoted by state-owned news agency Anadolu. The country’s electoral commission hasn’t published official results yet, but it confirmed the victory of Erdogan.

A few hours after voting ended officially, thousands of Twitter users launched a trending hashtag #Erdogan_forged_election, accusing Erdogan of rigging the elections held on Sunday.

"What an Erdoganian democracy! It's important that nobody talks about human rights, international organizations or observers," said Twitter user Amal Hisham.

Another tweet said "After 16 years in rule, Erdogan and his AKP forge elections, after amending the constitution to guarantee a lifetime rule."
Mocking Erdogan's victory, a Tweeter user wrote "Caliph Erdogan rigs election."